Black Roach pole - any info please?

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Wallys-Cast
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Re: unknown black Roach pole - any info please?

Post by Wallys-Cast »

Gobio Gobio wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:55 am Chaps, does anyone know what sort of black paint has been used on this pole?.

Its not a stain as fas as I know, I need to rebuild a section so could with some top tips please.
Paul, I think it would be Japlac. It was used on everything from bath panels to bike frames in those days and gives a lovely jet black shine with minimal brush marks.

Wal.

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Gobio Gobio
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Re: Black Roach pole - any info please?

Post by Gobio Gobio »

Great, thanks Wal.

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Watermole+
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Re: Black Roach pole - any info please?

Post by Watermole+ »

Gobio Gobio wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:08 pm
....................................... Does anyone know how I can replicate the black finish as I need to build a third section, I'm not stripping it as it would obviously lose its character, the whipping is superb. I just need to tidy it up, build a third section and use it.
I would appreciate any feedback please as its a mystery.

Thanks.


The black finish is achieved not by any kind of paint, but by polishing with ebonising polish and a lot of careful elbow grease.. :Wink:
It is not particularly cheap, however you can still buy it from most good specialist woodworking suppliers.
Hope this is of some help..
Send a PM if you get stuck.

wm+

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? Yet one of them shall not fall without your Father knoweth" ..Jesus of Nazareth, King James AV

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Wallys-Cast
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Re: Black Roach pole - any info please?

Post by Wallys-Cast »

Watermole+ wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2020 4:15 pm
Gobio Gobio wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:08 pm
....................................... Does anyone know how I can replicate the black finish as I need to build a third section, I'm not stripping it as it would obviously lose its character, the whipping is superb. I just need to tidy it up, build a third section and use it.
I would appreciate any feedback please as its a mystery.

Thanks.


The black finish is achieved not by any kind of paint, but by polishing with ebonising polish and a lot of careful elbow grease.. :Wink:
It is not particularly cheap, however you can still buy it from most good specialist woodworking suppliers.
Hope this is of some help..
Send a PM if you get stuck.

wm+
Hi Leszek, the ebonising polish I have used in the past was actually French polish based and used for pianos and items of interior furniture. I dont think it would stand being outside for too long.
The Allcocks catalogues do state these rods have a black lacquered finish.

I notice the Allcocks Gloria is finished in red and gold with black lacquer surface, I wonder if it could be a short lived Allcocks pole, possibly never added to the catalogues.

Wal.

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Gobio Gobio
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Re: Black Roach pole - any info please?

Post by Gobio Gobio »

Thanks for the advice Leszek & Wal.

So are you saying I should try Japlac or Liberon Black Polish Wal?

While Im asking, I would like some advice on which lacquer/varnish to use too!.


Interesting to hear your thoughts on the association with Allcocks...

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John Harding
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Re: Black Roach pole - any info please?

Post by John Harding »

Wal' ,

I think the black rod was at its most popular during the 60s and seemed to fizzle out in the early 70s.I have a few black rods, all whole cane, the colour didn't seem to catch on with split cane rods as I'm sure you know. Most of my black rods need a certain amount of touching up, I'm never really sure weather to just touch up the blemishes or to do the whole rod and ensure an even colour on the whole rod.

One of the rods has no makers name on it but has quite a scary model name on it "The Black Mamba"

Regards,
John.

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Wallys-Cast
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Re: Black Roach pole - any info please?

Post by Wallys-Cast »

Gobio Gobio wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:02 pm Thanks for the advice Leszek & Wal.

So are you saying I should try Japlac or Liberon Black Polish Wal?

While Im asking, I would like some advice on which lacquer/varnish to use too!.


Interesting to hear your thoughts on the association with Allcocks...
I am not sure if the original japlac is still available Paul but personally I would spray the section with a grey primer then a couple of coats of gloss black spray. Polished up with metal polish after a couple of days should give it a more traditional look.

If just touching up bits like paint chips and scratches, Humbrol black gloss is a good deep black and should look ok.

Wal.

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Re: Black Roach pole - any info please?

Post by Nobby »

Black is one of those colours that there seems to be a million shades of..you might end up doing the whole pole.


A good thought about the Allcock Gloria rod....maybe their pole would be made in the same style?

It was called The Windsor and made from both Indian and Burmese cane. The cane and the tooling for hollowing it out had already been abandoned in the workshop by 1950 but Tommy Boswell still knew how to use it...a very highly skilled job indeed..one millimetre too far and it's all scrap and days of work wasted.

Interesting that it isn't catalogued after the war....maybe that pile of cane was quite old then? Yet Tommy could still use the tooling.


Just seen Wal's thread..the Windsor was stained brown then :-(

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